DESTROYING LIVES AND CAREERS WITHOUT EVEN A HEARING

Chris Noth and Kevin Spacey

Gifted, Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey is accused of almost molesting someone at a drunken bash many years ago and all of a sudden he is fired off his show, House of Cards, his performance in a movie is digitally over-written by another actor, and he is persona non grata in Hollywood.

Chris Noth, star of Law and Order, Sex and the City, and others is accused of drunken, inappropriate behavior decades ago and is also dropped from his latest TV series, dropped by his agency, turned on by his wife and former co-stars (who throw him under the bus) and becomes persona non grata in Hollywood.

All of this happened without either gentleman even being given a chance to defend themselves. (Spacey has since been acquitted in one trial and I don't believe there are any criminal charges against him any more.)

Yes, we know guys can act like pigs, especially under the influence of alcohol and drugs, But I've no doubt the "victims" were also under the influence and their memories, after many, many years, are undoubtedly hazy. But in the long run it doesn't matter who's right or who's wrong.

Whatever happened to Innocent Until Proven Guilty? 

Neither of these gentlemen have been accused of out and out rape, which would certainly make them unsympathetic, to say the least, if they were guilty. Spacey was excoriated less for what he may have done at a party (or for allegedly groping other "victims") than for coming out years too late just after the charges went public, meaning he was attacked by both gays and homophobes. (And make no mistake -- a large part of what happened to him has to do with homophobia.)

Chris Noth helped some gal get an acting gig on Law and Order: Criminal Intent, but apparently she didn't turn into the next Lady Gaga so somebody has to pay. Noth has become a victim of the originally well-intentioned me-too movement, which has blown up to include virtually any man who even looks at a woman the wrong way. (Former governor Andrew Cuomo was certainly a victim of this.)

Should people be held accountable for alleged sloppy drunken behavior decades later, have their lives and careers utterly destroyed, simply on somebody's say-so, someone who may have an ax to grind, rent to pay, grievances to air, someone who needs both attention and cash, some redress to the "wrongs" they've suffered because their careers didn't amount to cat shit? The alleged victims may claim in lawsuits -- the whole reason for the accusations in the first place -- that their lives were destroyed, but somehow I don't think so. That's just legalese for let's-jack-up-the-bounty.

The horrible thing is this can happen to anyone. Yes, anyone can be accused of supposedly doing something many, many years in the past and before they even have a chance to answer the charges, suddenly their careers are over! There is no fair hearing, no trial, no nothing. To say this is unfair is an understatement. I'm not saying that people shouldn't be held accountable for their actions, but let's not just throw someone into the garbage bin a literal second later!

I hope there are producers out there who will hire both Spacey and Noth for their projects, because it all has to do with talent and not with private lives and unsubstantiated accusations. I've never met either gentleman -- perhaps they are both arrogant and unlikable (another reason for the accusations) --but that doesn't mean they should be wiped out by possibly false and exaggerated allegations.